Social space and Observing Marital Rights (Part 6)
4.2. Revealing the Secret of Marital Relations as a Satanic Intercourse
Undoubtedly, one of the most apparent rights of couples over each other is to preserve the secrets of their shared life, of which marital secrets are the most critical. It was narrated from Asma’ bint Yazid that she said: «أنَّها کانت عِندَ رَسولِ‌اللهِ صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم وَالرِّجالُ والنِّساءُ قُعُود عنده، فَقَالَ: لَعَلَّ رَجُلَا یَقُولُ مَا یَفعَلُ بِأهلِهِ ولَعَلَّ إمرَأه تُخبِرُ بِمَا فَعَلَت مَعَ زوجِها فَأَرَمَّ القَومُ، فَقُلتُ: إی وَاللهِ یَا رَسُولَ‌اللهِ! إِنَّهُنَّ لَیَقُلنَ وإِنَّهُم لَیَفعَلُونَ. قَالَ: «فَلَا تَفعَلُوا فَإِنَّمَا ذَالِکَ مِثلُ الشَّیطَانِ لَقِیَ شَیطَانَه فِی طَرِیق فَغَشِسَهَا وَالنَّاسُ یَنظُرُونَ.» Translation: “I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and a group of men and women were sitting in his presence. He said: ‘Perhaps some men and women will reveal their marital secrets.’ The people fell silent. I said: ‘Yes, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah! Women do this, and men do this.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Do not do this! For it is like the action of a male devil who sees a female devil on the road and has intercourse with her while people are looking at them.’” Al-Albaani has declared this hadith to be authentic or at least Hasan based on evidence.
Revealing marital secrets is such an immoral act that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) likened it to a devil who engages in sexual intercourse in public with complete shamelessness.
4.3. Revealing Secrets and Causing Harm to Others
Undoubtedly, the religion of Islam is the only faith that provides a peaceful life plan for humanity with just rules and appropriate laws. One of the reasons for this assertion is the prohibition of all types of harm in Islam. It is essential to note that a category of bodily and financial losses inflicted on specific individuals based on legitimate rights is outside the scope of this prohibition due to consensus.
Islam considers harming others under any pretext to be impermissible, and while it emphasizes this critical principle, it also presents its observance as a special obligation for Muslims. The Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) stated in a hadith narrated by Hazrat Obadiah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him): «لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ» “There is no harm in Islam.”
Understanding this narration necessitates grasping the meanings of the terms «ضَرَر» “Zarar” and «ضِرار» “Zerar.” Researchers in this field have briefly mentioned two views regarding these terms:
A) Both words have the same meaning. Specifically, “Zerar” serves as an emphasis for the meaning of “Zarar”—both refer to a corruption or deficiency that occurs to something.
B) The two words have different meanings, as establishing a distinct meaning for each word is preferable to treating one as an emphasis of the other.
Several comments from Islamic scholars have addressed the specific meanings of these two terms. Among these, some contemporary researchers have identified the most commonly understood definitions as follows:
– “Zarar” refers to causing harm to another without any prior wrongdoing by that person.
– “Zerar” involves causing harm and loss to someone who has already inflicted harm in some way; in other words, “Zerar” denotes a retaliatory response, whereas “Zarar” refers to initial harm inflicted without prior justification.
Based on the aforementioned interpretations of “Zarar” and “Zerar,” the underlying message of the hadith indicates that in Islam, just as it is not permissible to harm another, it is also not permissible to respond to someone’s harm with further harm.
Thus, considering the “L” of negation that begins this hadith, which expresses the negation of harm and loss, and given that revealing a marital secret invariably causes harm and damages the reputation of the spouse, one can conclude that sharing marital issues with others is a clear example of harming one’s partner and is against Islamic law.
By admin2
